Drmic has 'no case to answer'
TweetTHE NBL's Games Review Panel today declared Adelaide swingman Anthony Drmic had no case to answer for his accidental elbow to the head of Melbourne's Chris Goulding on Sunday.
Grappling for a loose ball on the floor of Hisense Arena, Drmic vigorously ripped the ball from Mitch McCarron's reach, in the process accidentally elbowing a prostrate Goulding in the head around the right eye.
Goulding was unable to continue until later in the match and refused to shake his Boomers' teammate's hand post-game, won 75-72 by United.
Melbourne subsequently requested the GRP look into the incident which, from a rival angle and in slow motion, looked far worse than in the real-time chaos of the moment. Television commentators at the game, Chris Anstey and Corey Williams both agreed the incident would have to be reviewed but that there was no malice in it.
The GRP today found Drmic had no case to answer. Its official statement is:
"The NBL Game Review Panel (GRP) has reviewed an incident involving Melbourne United's Chris Goulding and the Adelaide 36ers' Anthony Drmic in last Sunday's game at Melbourne Arena.
"The GRP considered submissions from Melbourne and Adelaide and determined that a charge was not warranted.
"It found Drmic's action in ripping the ball away from his opponent was a legitimate act in the course of play and contact with Goulding was incidental."
The NBL also subsequently has agreed Melbourne committed a backcourt violation with 4.5 seconds remaining in the game when leading 75-72.
DJ Kennedy, who was well inside the Melbourne frontcourt, threw a pass to a cutting Casper Ware into the backcourt, from where he dribbled out the clock.
In fact Kennedy's pass to Ware was a clear backcourt violation - or over-and-back as it was once called - and a refereeing error.